Abstract
Urban development contributes to alterations in the thermal regime of a watershed. Stormwater exiting urban heat islands results in thermal pollution, and may alter the ecological integrity of receiving waters. This poster reports on assessing Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater control measure impacts on the thermal characteristics of stormwater runoff in a controlled laboratory setting. Findings show that LID stormwater control measures (SCMs) such as pervious surfaces and rain gardens/bioretention can contribute in mitigating thermal loads from stormwater runoff. This laboratory study captured and infiltrated simulated stormwater runoff form four infrared heated microcosms (pervious concrete, impervious concrete, permeable concrete pavers, and turf grass), and sent the stormwater runoff through rain garden microcosms. A data logging system with thermistors located on, within and outside the microcosms was used to record stormwater runoff temperature change. The importance of this research helps established a baseline of data to study heat the removal effectiveness of LID SCMs when used alone or in a treatment train.
